Binding of wire coils



March 29, 1960 H. BOCHER BINDING or WIRE cons Filed Nov. 15. 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 1

.Izzvenfidn I H156 0126.1 1/; 421%5.

March 29 1960 H. BOCHER 2, ,3 3

BINDING 0F WIRE cons Filed Nov. 15, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jffidcizer 10 gm 4 I ib'g March 29, 1960 H. BOCHER 2,930,313

BINDING 0F WIRE COILS Filed Nov. 15, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 linveniofi HB'cJZ-er niteci, States The binding of wire coils coming from a wire rolling mill can hardly be effected in practice by hand on account both of the high millproduction and the difliculty of providing intermediate storage after cooling. A binding apparatus has therefore been proposed which works automatically and which comprises a framework for supporting the actual binding mechanism which is movable beneath a wire coil carried on a hook of a conveyor chain carrying the coil away from the rolling mill. This prior proposal provides that when a wire coil has arrived over the centre of the framework, by the aidof a separate device on the hookcarryingthe coil or on the chain or by the aid of the coil itself, the framework is set in movement .at the same speed and in the same direction as the conveyor chain. 1 The framework runs on a track and as a rule is driven by its own electric motor. a 1

According to this'.prior proposal three or more binding mechanisms are provided on theframe work which are simultaneously in action and each applies one binding to the coil. In particular it was proposed to wrap the binding wire around the coil from one side and to twist the ends together on the. other side. plete the framework returns to the starting position.

The present invention starts with the same provision of :a framework travelling beneath the conveyor chain and carrying the binding mechanism, but it differs in that it .uses but a single binding mechanism. The method according to the invention consists in binding the coil every time at the point diametrically opposite the point of suspension, that is, at the lowest point of the coil, the coil :first being pressed together laterally, the binding wire then being wrapped round the coil from the bottom and atent I When binding is comtequally over both sides in a radial direction, v'vhereafter the ends of the binding wire are twisted together. After binding the coil at the bottom point in this way, the coil is lifted slightly on the hook and then rotated around its :own axis through a fraction of a revolution until the next desired binding point is at the bottom, this point is then bound in the same way and the operations are repeated 7.

to an example illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a side view with parts in section,

Fig. 2 is a view at'right angles to Fig.1, also with parts in section, z

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan, the wire bundle being in section, showing the bundle pressing jaws 35 and the binding wire feed, V t

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation showing the twister head and the and plungers 36 in position to twist the wire,

Patented Mar. 29, 1960 IQC upon which binding wirein coil form 12 is carried. The

wire 13 is drawn off by two rollers 14 intermittently driven at the appropriate intervals by an electric motor 15. As the wire 13 comes off the'coil 12 it passes first between the two guide rollers 16 and then through a straightening device 17 here in the form of an elongated straight bore. The wire then passes through a cutting off device 18 and on to two grooved rollers 19. After it is in position over the rollers 19 it is cut off.

The grooved rollers 19 are carried at the upper ends of respective pincer levers 20 which are pivoted at 21' to a lifting device 22. The levers are under the action I of compression springs 23 which cause the lower arms of the lovers to press guide rollers 25 carried thereby against cam members 26 fixed to the framework so that when the lifting device 22 is actuated the rollers 19 take a corresponding curved path about the lower section 27 of the coil. The lifting device 22 is actuated by a cylinder 28 fixed on the framework and having a piston'29. The lifting device also has an internal plunger 31 which is pressed upwardly by a spring 30 and which raises a platform 31' as shown to the bottom of the cross section 27 of the coil. The control of the various devices is by .abutments and switches shown at '51 in Fig. 2, to control all the devices.

It has been found advantageous to construct the liftingand horizontal movements in the form of cylinders and pistons, and to operate them pneumatically or hydraulically, in which case a single control member can be provided for all these fluid actuated devices via the dotdash lines seen in Fig. 2 connecting control 51 to the cylinders. The electric motors for driving the binding wire supply device and for driving the rollers can be controlled by electric switches, either combined with' the single control' member for the fluid actuated devices or by separate switches controlled by the devices themselves. Y

The mode of operation of the apparatus is as follows:

After the binding wire 13 has been fed forward, laid over the rollers 19 and cut oif, pressure fluid is supplied 7 to cylinders 3-2 fixed on the framework, and rods 34 carried by pistons 33 in the cylinders are moved forward, o'n the front ends of which are carried pressing jaws 35 which 7 give the cross section 27 of the coil a straight sided form,

see also Fig. 3. Thereupon 'a twisting device 44, 4-5, is

moved forward by admitting pressure fluid to a cylinder.

41', the piston 42 by a rod 43, and is moved by the pres sure fluid to the left hand end of the cylinder.

Pressure fluid is now admitted to the cylinder 28 an the piston 29 and hollow piston rod 22 thereby raised;

The latter is provided with arms to the outer ends of which the above mentioned pincer levers 20, 24, are

pivoted at 21. The pincer levers 20, 24, first move upwardly maintaining the position shown in Fig. 2 until rollers 25 at their lower ends run along the slopingparts 26 of cam guides fixed on the framework underthe action of the compression springs 23. In the meantime, the-plunger31 with support platform 31 has come into contact with the under surface of the coil cross section 27 and brought it into flat form and has pressed the. binding wire 13 firmly against the underside of the cross section 27. During the further upward movement of the.

piston '29 the plunger 31 remains in this position, the

spring 30 inside the hollow piston rod being compressed.

sesame pressing jaws 35 are made of forked form to provide clearance for the passage of the binding wire 13 and the pincer levers 20, 24. The lateral openings constituting this forked formation in the jaws 35 taper upwardly as seen in Fig. 1 and by this means the binding wire is brought exactly into the mid position in line with the closing plungers 36 next to be operated. These plungers 36 are actuated by admission of pressure fiuidto the cylinders 40, yielding devices for example pistons under' spring pressure being, if desired, provided in the rods 37 at 37. At their front ends the closing plungers are of semi-circular form in the horizontal plane and they move into a position in which they enclose the shaft of the twisting device 44, 45, with clearance, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5. The head of the twisting device is provided with slots seen in Fig. 1 into which the ends of'the wire are pressed by the closing plungers 36.

As soon as this has been effected the twisting device 44, 45, is set in rotation to twist the wire ends and continues in rotation until the shortening of the wire ends caused by the twisting draws them out of the slots.

Thereafter the closing plungers 36 are retracted to their starting position and the piston 29 is moved downwardly whereby the pincer levers 20, 24, are also returnedto their starting position in order to have a new length ofbinding'wire led over them. Thereupon the pressing jaws '35are loosened so as to guide but not bind the coil 6, cylinders 46 are connected to the pressure fluid supply, pistons 46 and through their rods 47, rollers 48, with driving means 49, 50, are moved upwardly to contact coil 6 and'lift it slightly from hook and the motors 50 switched on. The rollers 48 first lift the coil so that it is free in the book 5 without lifting it more than is necessary for this purpose. Their rotation produces a partial rotation. of the coil 6. As soon as this has turned through the desired angle, for example, 120 in the case of binding at three points the motors 50 are switched oif. The piston46 is lowered, the released pressing jaws 35 are again applied, thepincer levers 20,

24, are raised, the closing plungers 36 are moved for{ ward,the twisting device is set in operation and thereby the second binding is effected. Thereafter the third binding is effected and so on according to the desired number of bindings. During these operations the framework moves forward on rails 7 with the same speed as the conveyor arid thewire coil. When the last binding has been effected all the parts return to their starting positions, the driving motor 8 is reversed, preferably then running at increased speed to carry the framework back to the starting point, and the control device 51 shown diagrammatically in the drawing is brought into a position of rest until the arrival of the next or one of the next coils into proper position over the framework whereupon the above described operating cycle recommences.

The apparatus can be modified in various ways. Thus for example when the dimensions of the coil are changed instead of adjusting the level of the pressing jaws or of the whole framework, the level of the conveyor chain or t.

1.' A method of binding a .coil of wire carried by a, hook from a :moving cohvyorwithout removing the coil from' the 'h'ook'iwhich comprises supporting the coil at the point diametrically" opposite the point of suspension" by lifting the coil sufiiciently bypr'essing upwardly from below ttirelease it'from support by but 'without' clearing the hook, binding'thecoil at the point of support,'rotating' coil. e e e s eath a e siest? FYQWQPA.

again supporting from below and binding the cross section of the coil at the point diametrically opposite the point of suspension, and repeating the whole of the preceding steps as many times as are necessary to provide the coil with bindings at intervals all round.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein each binding is made by presenting a length of binding wire to the bottom of the coil, wrapping the binding wire upwardly on each side of the coil, crossing the ends of the binding wire on the inside of the.coil and twisting the ends of the binding wire together.

3. Apparatus for binding a coil of wire suspended from a hook on a conveyor, comprising in combination control means to be set in operation upon the arrival of a suspended coil of wire at a starting point; a framework displaceable on a track carrying it in a path beneath that of the conveyor; means to displace said framework along the track at the same speed as thecoil of wire to be bound while the binding operations continue and, after completion of the binding operations, to return said framework to the starting point; binding wire feeding and cut ofi means on said framework for feeding a length of binding wire to a position beneath said coil of wire; a pincer-like device over the upper ends of which said length of binding wire is laid by said feeding means; a pair of jaws on opposite sides of the bottom of said coil of'wire; means for pressing said jaws against the sides of the bottom of said coil of wire; means for lifting said pincer-like device with the upper ends on opposite sides of the bottom of said coil of wire thereby Wrapping the binding wire around the bottom and sides of the bottom of said coil of wire; a'wire twisting device mounted on said framework above said jaws; means for carrying said twisting device from a position outside the said coil of Wire into a position inside said coil of wire; twoclosing plungers above said jaws on opposite sides of said coil of wire; means for moving said closing plungers towards one another and thereby engaging the ends of the binding wire wrapped round the bottom of sad coil by said pincer-like device and carrying the ends into engagement with said twisting device whereby they are twisted together; two lifting devices on said framework beneath said coil of wire on either side of the vertical diametral plane thereof; a roller carried by each said lifting device to engage said coil and lift it slightly in its book; means for rotating said rollers to rotate said coil of wire intermittently through a fraction of a revolution; said control means controlling the operation of the various devices inorder whereby a length of binding wire is fed forward, wrapped round the bottom cross section of said coil of wire, and its ends are twisted together at each intermission in the rotation of said coil so thatsaid coil is bound at corresponding fractional intervals all round whereafter the coil is released to rest in the hook and the framework returns to the starting point.

4. Apparatus as set forth in .claim 3 wherein said binding wire feeding means includes a support for a supply of binding wire, a wire straightener through which the binding wire passes, a drawing-off device for drawing binding wire from said supply through said straightening device and a cutting-off device for cutting-oif a straightened length of binding'wire. after the length is in position over the upper ends of said pincer-like device.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said pincer like device comprises a pair ofpivoted lovers, the apparatus also including a pair of cams in fixed position on said framework with which the lower ends of said pivoted levers coact, said cams being so shaped that-during the upward movement of said pincer-like devicethe upper ends of said levers are moved'towardsthe plane of said coil of Wire. i i

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein a grooved roller is provided on each of theupper ,ends of said pincer-like device to receive the length of binding wire.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said jaws and the means for pressing the jaws are forked to the extent necessary to engage the coil on both sides ofthe binding wire and yet to clear the ends of the binding wire and the upper ends of said pincer-like device when they are lifted to wrap the binding wire about the bottom cross section of the coil. 1

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the openings formed by the forking of the jaws contracts upwardly and thereby serves to centre the ends of the binding wire as it is wrapped about the bottom cross section of the coil.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said closing plungers are connected to said means for moving said closing plungers by a yielding connection.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 whereinsaid rollers carried by said lifting devices are rubber covered.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said means for controlling the various operations comprises a common control for said means for pressing said jaws, for said means for lifting said pincer-like device; for said means for moving said closing 'plungers, for said means for carrying said twisting device into said coil of Wire and for said lifting devices.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said means for pressing said jaws, said means for lifting said pincer-like device, said means for moving said plungers, said means for carrying said twisting device into said coil of wire and said lifting devices are all fluid pressure operated.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said framework is moved by an electric motor, and said b1nd-" ing wire feeding means, said twisting device and said 1 rollers are all driven by electric motors, the apparatus also including a common control member which controls the supply of pressure fluid to and its release from all said fluid pressure operated means and devices in correct sequence and also controls the switching on and off of said electric motors in correct sequence.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,261,589 Mogan et a1. Apr. 2, 1918 1,799,698 'Nolan Apr. 7, 1931 1,841,017 Eickhoif Jan. 12, 1932 2,285,120 Marchev June 2, 1942 2,617,353 Ranney Nov. 11, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 518,753 Belgium Apr. 15, 1953 

